The Lost Ones
by Laurarokks
Summary: "Hello, my name is Janice, and soon I may potentially no longer be a U.S. citizen." The year is 2050 and the government has cracked down on its citizens. Anyone, by the age of 21, deemed unable to contribute to society will go through a process known as 'decitizenization'. All records of the person will be destroyed. Be warned...the government is watching. You could be next.


The clicking and tapping of computer keys could be heard before the blank computer screen turned from all black to a reflection of a brunette girl sitting in her computer chair. Her brown eyes showed self-loathing and despair as she waited for her computer to load up its video application. When the red light in the corner of the screen shone a bright green, she gave a small wave and smiled awkwardly at the camera.

"Hello, my name is Janice, and soon I may potentially no longer be a U.S. citizen." The weight of the world seemed to crash down onto the girl as she looked dejectedly toward the floor. She took a deep breath before looking up to say, "I suppose I should explain." The petite girl readjusted herself in her seat, making herself more comfortable for the lengthy story she was about to tell. Her hand then reached over to the side, outside of the screen, to pick up a small desk calendar that she proceeded showed to the camera.

"The year is 2050 and as of late, the government has cracked down on its citizens. Anyone deemed unworthy of being a citizen of the country will go through a heartbreaking process known as, what the government calls, 'decitizenization'. What this basically means is if you are considered unable to contribute to society after you've reached the age of 21, you will be deleted from the government's systems. All of your bank accounts wiped, all of your property sold, and all of your certificates and licenses ultimately destroyed." An audible gulp is heard as the girl narrows her eyes at her desk in thought.

"The weird thing though…is that people who have been decitizenized…disappear. Not just through paperwork, but physically as well."

"Nobody knows what happens to these former citizens after the process is complete. Scientists have deduced that they disappear from everyone's sight. Anyone who is American will no longer see that person after they've been decitizenized because at that point the former citizen will not belong to any country." Janice then scooted her chair closer to the computer and used her fingers to emphasize her next statement. "Thus they are referred to as 'The Lost Ones'…because apparently it doesn't sound as intense when you say 'The Lost Causes' which would be a much more accurate way to put it if you were to think about it for a minute." Her brown eyes flicker up to the screen and she pauses for a second. She clears her throat before giving a slight chuckle. "Sorry. I'm digressing from the main point, aren't I?" Her tiny smile suddenly reverts back to a frown.

"Just so we're clear, America isn't the only country that performs such a process. Other countries do it as well…or so I've heard. This whole thing is supposed to be some sort of cleansing practice that allows a country to remain at the top of its game in the new global order in terms of both brain and brawn. Anyone who is seen as only using the country for its resources is either kicked out, if they emigrated here from another country, or decitizenized, if they were a citizen from the start. This is 'survival of the fittest' on a whole new level." Janice cracked a sad smile and proceeded to say, "Sadly, I'm not one of the fittest." She shook her head to rid her mind of the sorrowful thoughts.

"Allegedly the scientists attempted to research the phenomenon and found that nobody knows or recognizes 'The Lost Ones' after the process is complete. Family and friends just seem to forget that person even existed." Janice's voice gradually rose to a higher volume due to the raving emotions that she tried so hard to bury deep within. "The only proof that the person resided on Earth would be photographs lying around the house. And even then, people won't be able to recognize them. Not being familiar to your loved ones? Such a thing is worse than death!" The brunette took a calming breath before continuing to talk.

"It's because of all of this nonsense that I'm terrified. I've just turned 21 this month and the government has been keeping a close eye on me. Everything I do, ranging from being on the internet to running errands, is being monitored by some stranger somewhere in America." Janice rolled her eyes and rested her chin on her hand. "I can't get a moments peace because I consistently fear the FBI knocking on my front door." Another sigh escapes her lips as she starts to conclude the video.

"I don't want my friends and family to forget about me which is why I'm making this video with my window blinds shut…just in case I really am decitizenized. Because Hell, if I'm going down, at least I can leave my story behind." With a determined glimmer in her eye, Janice reached for her mouse to press the stop button, causing the computer screen to once again go black.

**So I was traversing around Tumblr when I came across a Hetalia headcanons page. It was there that I found a headcanon that talked about how countries have the power to no longer call a citizen theirs and that the process is super difficult, not exactly in physical terms, but rather emotionally for both the citizen and the country. It also talked about how this process destroys all of their information and everybody forgets about them…even their own country. **

**I thought the idea was genius, therefore I wrote this little thing up. I'd give credit where credit is due, but the headcanon was posted anonymously. :/**

**However I do know that the creator of Hetalia is Hidekaz Himaruya so…there's that. :)**

**I'm not sure how often I'll update this thing…especially when you consider the fact that I hardly come onto this website anymore. I'm mostly found over on DeviantART writing reader insert stories (series and one-shots).**


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